US blames Iran for attacks on 2 tankers near Persian Gulf

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that the United States government blames Iran for attacks on two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf, casting it as the latest in a series of "provocative actions" that have sharply raised tensions in the region.A U.S. assessment of Iran's responsibility for the attacks, which forced the evacuation of the crews in international waters, was based in part on intelligence as well as on the expertise needed to carry out the operation, Pompeo told reporters